Chris Smith was anything but hot in regulation, but given a few extra minutes the Jacksonville junior forward found his stroke.

And the Cardinals were certainly glad he did.

Smith, who had just 6 points in regulation, hit two 3-pointers and a driving layup in overtime to lead Jacksonville to a 73-71 win over Washington on Friday night in the Coastal 3-A Conference opener for both teams.

The Cardinals are now 4-4 and 1-0 while Washington fell to 4-2 and 0-1.

Earlier, Washington beat JHS 39-29 in the girls’ game.

“Tonight, my shooting was a struggle,” said Smith, who finished with 14 points. “But I kept going, pushed it out to the end. We got this ‘W’ tonight. It was frustrating in the beginning, but I had to keep my head in the game.

“My team was just behind me the whole time even though I was off the first four quarters. But Nigel (Vialva) and Tyler (Perry) just kept telling me to keep going no matter if I miss or make and then I heated up in the overtime. It was on then.”

Indeed it was.

Vialva scored 20 points — all in regulation — to lead four players in double figures for the Cardinals, who tied it up at 64-64 on a driving layup by Dana Stone with 16 seconds remaining in regulation.

The Pam Pack didn’t even get off an attempted game winner. The reason: After a Washington time out with 9.3 seconds, Perry’s smothering defense on guard John Whitely didn’t allow him to get the ball past halfcourt.

After Perry missed a baseline drive, Washington missed three shots on its first possession and then Stevie Green, who had 25 points, was called for traveling as he fell to the court. Smith then found the range, hitting a 3-pointer with 3:10 left from the corner.

But D.J. Bell, who had 17 points, answered with his third 3-pointer with 1:28 left to tie it up. Again, however, Smith hit a 3-pointer from the opposite wing with 1:02 remaining to give JHS a 70-67 lead.

Washington pulled within a point on Whitley’s runner with 40.9 seconds left, but the right-handed Smith scored on a nearly baseline-to-baseline left-handed layup to make it 72-69 with 29.5 seconds left.

“They were looking for the three, and I just decided to drive it. I seen the opening so I took it,” Smith said. “I practice all the time (with his left hand). I’m very confident with my left and right hand.”

And first-year coach James Jordan is plenty confident in Smith.

“I gave him the green light,” he said. “I like him to receive it and shoot it. When he’s hot I gave him the green light.”

Washington still had a chance, however. James Austin, who had 16 points, scored and was fouled with 19.2 seconds left, but he missed the foul shot — as did Stone on the front end of a 1-and-1 after he grabbed Austin’s miss and was fouled.

Page 2 of 3 - Perry then hit the front end of a 1-and-1 with 5.7 seconds left and the Pam Pack turned the ball over with 0.8 seconds left.

“It’s very important we come out and win our first game of conference,” Smith said.

Jordan agreed, although he didn’t feel his club was at its best against the athletic Pam Pack, who led 49-46 going into the fourth quarter. Neither team led by more than 4 points in a game that featured 12 lead changes and 11 ties.

“Put it this way, we won not on our level. But we won,” Jordan said. “When we get on our level, it’ll be a lot stronger.”

Jordan wasn’t happy with his team’s rebounding and also said the Cardinals took a few bad shots he didn’t like. But, he added, “the defense really helped us out a lot.” JHS started in a 2-2-1 zone and switched to a 1-3-1 in the third quarter before going to man later in the quarter.

Another key was the Cardinals took care of the ball. JHS had just 6 turnovers, the last coming on its first possession of the fourth quarter.

Along with Vialva and Smith, Josh Roman (14 points) and Perry (10) were also in double figures for the Cardinals.

Girls

Washington 39, Jacksonville 29: Jacksonville scored just 11 points in the second half and committed 34 turnovers while hitting just 10 field goals in falling to Washington, which had 33 turnovers but got 11 points from both Abby Walker and Kiara Smith to win.

“We’ve just got to clean it up,” JHS coach Monique Gidrey said. “We’re young, but in the end we just couldn’t finish it.”

The Cardinals (2-6, 0-1) led 10-8 after the opening quarter and trailed just 20-18 at halftime, but the Pam Pack (2-4, 1-0) outscored JHS 9-3 in the third quarter to take control. JHS was 1 for 11 from the floor and had 8 turnovers in the quarter.

“Right now, we’re still working,” Gidrey said. “They’re doing the best they can. They’re learning as we go, but the nerves take the best of you. We’ll get there.”

Lyssa Wallace-O’Neal, who sat out nearly half the first half after picking up two quick fouls, and Stacey Scott each had 7 points to lead JHS, which also hurt itself at the foul line where it hit just 8 of 26.

Washington was 7 of 16.

“At crunch time,” Gidrey said, “we’ve got to be able to hit those free throws.”